


Date Night

by emeraldsage85



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 05:17:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11097690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emeraldsage85/pseuds/emeraldsage85
Summary: Steve and Bucky go on their first date together in the twenty-first century. Steve's adorably awkward about it.





	Date Night

**Author's Note:**

> In this fic they live in the same building but not the same apartment. I wanted Steve to pick Bucky up and I thought it would be easier if they had separate apartments.

It's nearly six o'clock when Steve knocks on Bucky's door. Inside he hears Bucky call, "Just a minute!" Steve stands back and waits in the hall, bouncing on his heels a bit with nervous excitement as he swings the red and white checkered umbrella in his left hand. Finally there's the tell tale sound of the lock clicking and Bucky opens the door. "Hi Steve," he says.

"Hey," Steve says back, feeling a little stupid. He wants to says something witty or to tell Bucky that he looks great tonight but nothing comes to his lips. Instead he smiles in the hopes that Bucky can read him. They've always been able to unravel each others body language and emotions without saying a word; it's the product of so many years with no one but each other to look out for.

Bucky closes the door behind him and steps out into the hall. "So, where are we going?" he asks.

"Uh," Steve says, feeling as though his nerves have short-circuited his brain, "I was going to take you to that rooftop restaurant we wanted to try but it's raining so I guess we'll have to do plan B."

"Plan B it is," Bucky declares as he loops his arm through Steve's. "What's plan B?"

"I, uh, don't really have one. I guess we're improvising," Steve mutters.

Bucky grins. "If you don’t mind walking in the rain we could go that fish and chip place a few blocks from here,” he suggests.

"Okay," Steve agrees. They head downstairs and let themselves out of the lobby front door. Steve opens the umbrella and the two of them duck under it to shield themselves from the cold stinging drops. They walk together in companionable silence until they reach the restaurant and Steve feels elated when Bucky keeps hold of his arm the entire way. They choose a free table in the corner where they’re less likely to be disturbed and open their menus. 

Steve finds himself wanting to say something romantic but fails to come up with anything that doesn't sound completely ridiculous. Instead he focuses on his menu. "The wild Alaska Pollock looks good," he murmurs absently. Bucky doesn’t reply. He puts his menu down near the edge of the table and looks up at Steve, gray eyes appraising him silently. For a moment it looks like he wants to say something but they’re interrupted by the waitress.

“What can I get for you gentlemen tonight?” she asks. Bucky and Steve each order their meals and as she leaves silence descends upon them once more. Steve doesn’t just feel stupid now; he feels incredibly awkward so he fumbles for a topic of conversation.

“So, um, how’s everything been lately?” he says lamely.

Bucky just raises an eyebrow at him. “What do you mean by ‘everything’?” he asks.

“I don’t know, just asking how you’ve been I guess,” Steve mumbles. This is not going how he planned at all. When he’d pictured it in his head he’d had them spending a romantic evening at the rooftop restaurant, feeding each other bits of desert and getting on like the old friends that they are. Instead he feels embarrassment bubble up inside of himself at suddenly being so tongue tied.

“You saw me yesterday. We ran into each other in the hallway, remember?” Bucky says. The corners of his mouth are beginning to turn up into a tiny smile though so Steve thinks maybe he isn’t so bad at this after all.

“Yeah, right, I-uh…I remember,” he sputters. Bucky’s smile has now turned into a smirk. Steve chews absently on his lower lip and decides that maybe he should try a safe topic, something they can both talk about easily that won’t make him sound like a complete idiot. “The last mission went well. Aside from Clint breaking his arm again, no casualties is always a plus right?” he tries again.

This time Bucky’s smirk turns into a grin and he lets out a peal of laughter. Steve feels his face fall. “What, what’s so funny? Do I have something on my face?” he asks worriedly. Bucky laughs even harder, covering his face with his hand and slumping over the table, shoulders shaking uncontrollably. “Bucky, please,” Steve pleads. He can feel himself starting to panic a bit. He’s at a complete loss for things to do or say that won’t make the situation worse.

When Bucky finally raises his head again he gasps, “Peggy was right. You are so bad at this! You don’t know anything about dating, do you?”

Steve frowns. “No, but I’m trying here Bucky. I’m sorry. This is probably the worst date you’ve ever been on, huh?”

“No, the worst date I’ve ever been on was the one where Elizabeth Martinotti punched me in the face for trying to kiss her,” Bucky says.

Steve tries and fails to come up with something he can say to break the tension of the moment but he’s saved by the arrival of their food. The two of them thank the waitress and she departs. Steve slumps miserably in his seat as he picks up his fork, unable to look Bucky in the eye. He might not be Bucky’s worst date but he feels like he’s dug himself a hole he’ll never be able to get out of.

“Stevie,” Bucky says gently, “look at me.” Steve finally lifts his head and looks up to see Bucky smiling at him fondly. “How long have we known each other?”

“Counting the time I was in the ice, about seventy years,” Steve says quietly. 

“Seventy years of us being pals and you’re gonna get shy on me now? Just talk to me like you would if we weren’t on a date. You always put too much pressure on yourself and it makes you nervous. You’ve gotta relax,” Bucky tells him.

Steve lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “I just want this to go well so badly. I’ve waited a long time for it,” he confesses.

Bucky grins at him. “Me too,” he says happily. He pops a few fries into his mouth, chews, and swallows before continuing. “We know everything about each other already so I figure we can just skip the awkward ‘getting to know you’ part of dating and have a good time, right?”

In spite of his embarrassment Steve feels himself begin to smile. Things are easier after that. Steve lets Bucky take the lead in conversation and finds his nerves disappearing as they settle into old familiar routines, trading barbs and reminiscing about anything the two of them can remember with Steve filling in all of the gaps in Bucky’s memory. Bucky seems almost like his old self as they laugh and joke together and Steve realizes that he’s never been happier. 

The two of them finish their meals and the waitress brings them a dessert menu. Bucky insists on trying to eat what must be his weight in cheesecake before asking for another round of coffees. Steve’s only too happy to oblige since he doesn’t want the date to end.

“What are you smiling at?” Bucky asks as he peers over the rim of his coffee cup.

“You,” Steve says happily. He reaches across the table and takes Bucky’s flesh hand in his. “I never thought we could have this and now here we are in the twenty-first century where I can take my best guy out on a date without getting arrested. This is definitely the best part of the future so far.”

Bucky lifts their conjoined hands and places a delicate kiss on top of Steve’s knuckles. “Let’s go back to my place. There are things I wanna do to you that still can’t be done in public,” he says lecherously.

Steve pulls out his wallet and flings a pile of twenties down onto the table. “We’re going home, ****now**** ,” he says pointedly. Bucky doesn’t get to finish his coffee as Steve drags him away from the table and out into the rain.


End file.
